pothos

American  

[poh-thos, -thuhs, poth-ohs, -uhs] / ˈpoʊ θɒs, -θəs, ˈpɒθ oʊs, -əs /

noun

plural

pothos, pothoses

1. any of various tropical climbing vines belonging to the genera Pothos and Epipremnum, of the arum family, especially E. aureum, widely cultivated for its variegated foliage.

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Etymology

Origin of pothos

< New Latin (Linnaeus), said to be < Sinhalese

Example Sentences

You may find yourself loitering near the kitchen island, pretending to study a hanging pothos while calculating whether it’s worth another scoop.

From Salon • Aug. 5, 2025

Busy gardeners should look for low-maintenance plants like ZZ plants, Chinese evergreens, pothos and philodendrons, while others may choose ferns, peace lilies, baby tears and gardenias that require a bit more attention and care.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 20, 2024

He carefully packages each one — golden pothos, string of hearts, trailing hoya — with a small team of employees, slaps on a bright sticker that reads “live plants,” and ships them across the country.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2023

The company Neoplants has also tweaked genes in pothos plants to enable them to essentially recycle certain VOCs.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2023

Caladiums, kolocasias and begonias were growing on every rock, and the giant pothos with its large shining leaves grew up the stems of many of the trees.

From Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921 by Howard-Bury, Charles Kenneth